PATTERNS OF IN-VITRO ANTI-HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 ANTIBODY-PRODUCTION IN LONG-TERM NONPROGRESSORS

With the aim of evaluating the specific pattern of in vitro antibody p roduction (NAP) in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infecte d long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs), we tested 20 subjects who had rema ined asymptomatic for more than 8 years with a CD4(+) cell count highe r than 500/mu l and 59 patients at different stages of HIV-1 infection as controls. In cell cultures, IVAP was detected in 14 out of 20 LTNP s (70%), in 5 out of 6 recent seroconverters (83%), and in all the oth er control patients. Anti-p24 antibody production was significantly lo wer in LTNPs than in asymptomatic patients with a more recent infectio n. Recent seroconverters and patients with AIDS did not produce anti-p 24 antibodies (P = 0.02). Anti-gp160 antibodies were produced by perip heral blood mononuclear cells from LTNPs in 12/20 cases. CD4(+) cell c ount was significantly higher in NAP-negative than in NAP-positive LTN Ps (P = 0.013), while the viral load was not significantly different. Specific anti-HIV-1 antibody production did not seem to be a correlate of long-term nonprogression. (C) 1997 Academic Press.